Boardwalk at Great Dismal Swamp. |
g Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Bay Trail – Leading from the Visitor Contact Station to Back Bay, the 0.4-mile trail crosses a variety of ecosystems, from shrubland to marshes.
g False Cape State Park: Barbour Hill Interpretative Trail – This easy 1.4-mile trail cuts across a barrier spit between Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, offering an opportunity to see a variety of wildlife and plants.
g First Landing State Park: Bald Cypress Trail – Boardwalks and observation platforms abound on this 1.5-mile loop trail that heads around and through a bald cypress swamp and forest-covered dunes.
g Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge: Boardwalk Trail – The interpretative and elevated Boardwalk Trail runs almost a mile through a representative section of the Great Dismal, allowing hikers to spot a variety of birds.
g Norfolk Botanical Garden: Enchanted Forest's woodland trail – For those preferring to stay closer to the city, the short, circular woodland trail through the Enchanted Forest garden takes kids through a secluded patch of mature oak, hickory, and pine.
Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.